Thanks to all IWSA Members for a fun and successful 2025. We plan to bottle our Micil cask for members in late 2026. Before we look ahead let's take one last look back at everything that went on in 2025.

2025 was a monumental year for the IWSA as we celebrated our 15th Anniversary as the premier Irish Whiskey club in the USA. We celebrated with a 3 month lead up to the big event with a a Favorite 15 whiskey countdown and Guess the Whiskeys contest. Members participated in a Live Virtual Event in October as we toasted to our shared achievement, reminisced, and sampled whiskeys from our Favorite 15 and Guessing contest. 

Favorite 15               Guess the Whiskeys                 Event Video

In May, IWSA members ventured to Ireland for our 3rd annual group trip. During our stay in beautiful Belfast city, we visited several distilleries, pubs, and points of interest in the area before ending our trip in Dublin for WhiskeyLive. Read all about our itinerary and trip adventures:

What's Happening with Irish Whiskey?

2025, much like the amount of Irish whiskey in your glass, experienced highs and lows for the industry. Overall, exports were down 5% primarily due to US tariffs and dollar currency devaluation. Online sales were hit hard due to shipping challenges related to uneven tariff policies and customs issues.  Overall, less product is coming to the USA either through imports or online sales. In response, Irish whiskey makers have shifted to other markets, like Mexico, Greece, and India to name a few. 

Teeling Whiskey celebrated its 10 year anniversary in Dublin in 2025. Two other distilleries rebranded during the year. Loug Gill in Co. Sligo became Hawks Rock Distillery in April while Connacht Distillery in Co. Mayo changed its name to Ballina Distillery in November. 

Financial difficulty impacted a few distilleries during the year. Killarney Brewing and Distilling was closed in July, unable to secure debt restructuring or new investment after opening 3 years earlier. Powerscourt Distillery entered receivership in July and is for sale while still remaining open. Blackwater Distillery entered into a rescue plan in April and remains open and operating after a restructuring of its debt. Dublin Liberties Distillery temporarily closed for tours and paused operations in May but plans to reopen. Many other distilleries paused distilling operations during the year for periods of time, including both Midleton and Bushmills. 

Despite some setbacks, new Irish Whiskeys continued to be released during the year. 

Garavogue 20yr Single Malt was the first release under the newly named Hawks Rock Distillery. To commemorate their rebrand, Ballina Distillery released 2 new single malts. McConnell's Distillery in Belfast released the 3rd blend in their portfolio range, this one finished in Cognac casks. Micil Distillery in Galway released its 2nd whiskey in December, a peated px sherry heritage pot still. Boann Distillery released its trilogy core range of single pot stills at the beginning of the year along with several limited edition heritage recipe releases during 2025. Echlinville Distillery re-released the Old Comber brand single pot still, made 100% at their Co. Down distillery. 

Congratulations to the following for the release of their first Irish Whiskeys 100% distilled at their distilleries:

Hinch Distillery in Co. Down released 2 Single Malts

Adara Distillery in Co. Donegal released a peated Single Malt

Copeland Distillery in Co. Down released 4 limited editions

The 4th annual 2025 IWSA (Izzy) Awards launched in December with nominees revealed in 13 different categories. The 60 whiskey nominees were revealed during a video recording. Read about the Izzys, the 2025 nominees for Favorite, and the related event video. The 13 Favorites along with the Legacy Irish Whiskey chosen by IWSA president will be revealed in a Live Virtual Event on February 1st. 

Membership